SB Nation Los Angeles - Hunter Home Run Backs Weaver, Halos In Series Openerhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48949/la-fave.png2010-08-06T19:40:59-07:00http://losangeles.sbnation.com/rss/stream/13734532010-08-06T19:40:59-07:002010-08-06T19:40:59-07:00Angels Top Tigers, 4-2
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<p>Detroit, MI (Sports Network) – Torii Hunter hit a two-run homer to back seven strong innings by Jered Weaver as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim downed Detroit, 4-2, in the opener of a three-game set from Comerica Park.</p>
<p>Howie Kendrick and Peter Bourjos each knocked in a run for the Angels, who snapped a three-game slide and won for the just the third time in their last 10 games.</p>
<p>Weaver (11-7) scattered three hits and two runs — one earned — with nine strikeouts and four walks for the win. Brian Fuentes turned in a scoreless ninth for his 21st save.</p>
<p>Brennan Boesch hit a solo homer for the Tigers, who have dropped six of seven.</p>
<p>Justin Verlander (12-7) allowed seven hits and four runs over seven full frames in defeat.</p>
<p>In the Halos’ first, Erick Aybar singled with one out and Hunter made it 2-0 for the visitors with a two-out homer.</p>
<p>Maicer Izturis singled to start the second and Kendrick knocked him in for a 3-0 game. After a Bobby Wilson sacrifice bunt, Kendrick came home when Bourjos grounded out to short.</p>
<p>Boesch got the Tigers on the board with a two-out solo homer in the third, and an Izturis throwing error on a grounder from Johnny Damon with two on in the fourth brought Detroit within 4-2.</p>
<p>Fernando Rodney locked down the eighth for the visitors, then Fuentes worked around a leadoff walk by retiring the final three batters he faced.</p>
<p>Weaver boosted his AL-best strikeout total to 171…The Angels’ victory snapped a five-game losing streak this season to the Tigers. LA won the first two of a three-game set in Anaheim on April 19-20…Hunter and Angels manager Mike Scioscia were ejected by home plate umpire Ron Kulpa in the top of the eighth for arguing balls and strikes…Detroit fell to 5-18 since the All-Star break.</p>
https://losangeles.sbnation.com/2010/8/6/1610378/angels-tigers-torii-hunter-jered-weaverEric Stephen2010-08-06T15:35:21-07:002010-08-06T15:35:21-07:00Tonight's Angels-Tigers Lineups
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<p>Here are tonight’s lineups in Detroit:</p>
<p><strong>Angels</strong><br>
Abreu LF<br>
Aybar SS<br>
Callaspo 3B<br>
Hunter RF<br>
Matsui DH<br>
Izturis 2B<br>
Kendrick 1B<br>
Wilson C<br>
Bourjos CF<br>
Weaver P</p>
<p><strong>Tigers</strong><br>
Jackson CF<br>
Boesch RF<br>
Raburn LF<br>
Cabrera 1B<br>
Peralta SS<br>
Damon DH<br>
Inge 3B<br>
Avila C<br>
Rhymes 2B<br>
Verlander P</p>
https://losangeles.sbnation.com/2010/8/6/1610119/angels-tigers-lineupsEric Stephen2010-08-06T12:17:53-07:002010-08-06T12:17:53-07:00Angels Head To Detroit In A Battle Of Fading Contenders
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<p>(Sports Network) - Both the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/ANA">Los Angeles Angels</a> of Anaheim and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/DET">Detroit Tigers</a> are fading in their respective division-title races. Good news is that one club has to win tonight when the two teams kick off a three-game series at Comerica Park.</p>
<p>Both teams will be sending out their aces for tonight's openers, as the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/ANA">Angels</a>' <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/713/Jered_Weaver">Jered Weaver</a> opposes <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/282/Justin_Verlander">Justin Verlander</a> of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/DET">Tigers</a> in a matchup of 2004 first-round picks.</p>
<p>Weaver, grabbed 12th overall by the Angels, has split his last four starts despite a solid 2.33 earned run average. He is coming off a win on Sunday in which he held the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/TEX">Rangers</a> to just one unearned run and four hits over seven innings, walking three and striking out seven.</p>
<p>The 27-year-old righty is 10-7 with a 3.04 ERA this year and has pitched at least six innings in 14 straight starts dating back to May 23.</p>
<p>Weaver is 2-3 with a 6.51 ERA in seven career starts versus the Tigers, losing to Verlander on May 2 after giving up four runs over 4 2/3 innings. Verlander, meanwhile, hurled 8 1/3 innings of one-run, three-hit ball that day to improve to 3-2 with a 4.44 ERA in eight matchups with the Angels.</p>
<p>The 27-year-old second overall pick of 2004, Verlander had a four-decision winning streak end with a loss at Tampa on July 27, then did not factor into the decision of his team's 4-3 loss at Boston on Monday. The right-hander gave up three runs on six hits over seven innings with eight strikeouts.</p>
<p>Verlander is 12-6 with a 3.74 ERA this year and has won five straight starts at home, where he hasn't lost since May 31 and is 7-2 with a 2.65 ERA this season.</p>
<p>Both the Angels and Tigers are coming off Thursday losses, with Los Angeles falling 10 games off the pace for first place in the American League West, while Detroit has dropped nine games back in the AL Central.</p>
<p>Los Angeles erased a four-run deficit to Baltimore in the eighth inning yesterday, getting a three-run homer from <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/650/Torii_Hunter">Torii Hunter</a> in the frame and an RBI hit by <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/600/Bobby_Abreu">Bobby Abreu</a>. However, closer <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/726/Francisco_Rodriguez">Francisco Rodriguez</a> gave up a game-winning RBI single to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/363/Cesar_Izturis">Cesar Izturis</a> in the bottom of the ninth to earn the Angels' their 11th loss in 14 games.</p>
<p>"I think [new O's manager Buck Showalter] really sparked those guys," Hunter said. "We just couldn't come through. They just seemed like they wanted it more."</p>
<p>Detroit also wasted a late rally on Thursday versus Chicago. Pinch-hitter <span>Ryan Raburn</span> hit a game-tying, three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth for the Tigers to force extra innings, but <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/587/Jose_Valverde">Jose Valverde</a> yielded two runs in the 11th inning of a 6-4 setback.</p>
<p>"We got the big one there in the last inning to tie it up, but we couldn't hold it," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "We didn't do much offensively the whole game."</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/397/Don_Kelly">Don Kelly</a> also hit a solo homer as the Tigers lost for the ninth time in 11 games.</p>
<p>The Tigers have ripped off five straight victories over the Angels since losing the first two meetings this year. That includes a three-game sweep at home from April 30-May 2, as Detroit has won nine of the last 12 meetings.</p>
https://losangeles.sbnation.com/2010/8/6/2318949/angels-head-to-detroit-in-a-battle-of-fading-contendersEric Stephen